whiles



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. W. WHILES. HARROW.

No. 443,840. 7 Patented Dec. 30, 1890.

fipg/T/VESSES: IIVVE T I '5 1 W A VI A z (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. W. WHILES.

HARROW.

No. 443,840. Patented Dec/ 30, 1890;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WIIILES, OF NEVADA, MISSOURI.

HARROW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,840, dated December 30,1890.

Application filed August 7,1890. Serial No. 361,269. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JOHN \V. \VHILES, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Nevada, in the county of Vernon and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harrows; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in harrows; and the object of the invention is to provide a harrow which shall be durable and economical in construction, durable in use, and reliable and efficient in operation, and which at the same time can be used as a straight, a forwardly-inclined, or a rearwardly-inclined tooth harrow, according to the nature of the soil acted upon and other requirements.

The invention also contemplates a construction in which when a toot-l1 strikes a stone, stump, or other obstruction, the beam carrying the tooth will be turned so that the tooth will clear the obstruction and be brought into proper position again as soon as said obstruction is passed.

It also contemplates provision for disconnecting the two sections of which the harrow is composed when it is desired to make the harrow smaller.

There are also other advantages in my construction of harrow, which will be apparent and need not be here enumerated.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a harrow constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig.2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the beams dragging along the ground. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the harrow with the teeth inclining rearwardly. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the teeth perpendicular.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates a series of tooth-beams arranged in pairs and each consisting of a square or other suitably-shaped bar of wood or other ends to form hooks 4, which are connected to eyes or hooks 5, secured to said beams. These hooks are connected to the lower edge of the front beams and to the upper edge of the next succeeding beams, and so on, f or a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The inner ends of each pair of beams are connected together as follows: The numerals 6 6 denote metal rods having loops7 at one end and hooks S at the other end. These bars are loosely connected with the said beams by the loop 7 engaging with the eyes 9, secured to the beams, while their other ends are brought together and the hooks engaged with a ring or annulus 10. From this construction it will be seen that while the beams are securely connected they are free to rise and fall, and also to turn to a limited extent, the said rods and ring forming a kind of universal joint. I prefer to attach the rods of one of the beams of each pair permanently to the ring or annulus, so that the parts can be readily connected and disconnected and always be in proper position. To the front or forward pair of tooth-beams is removably attached a block 12, through which pass bolts 14.

The numeral 18 designates a chain secured to an eye 15, attached to the longitudinal levers 19. These levers extend backwardly when they are provided with a loop 20 and a depending hook 21, which engages with the eyes 22 011 the rear beams. The front beam is also provided with similar eyes 22, so as to engage with the chain 18.

The numeral 23 denotes the whiiiletree pro- -vided with chains 24, which engage with loops 25 on the tooth-beams.

The numeral 26 denotes the tongue.

The operation of my invention is as fol- When it is desired to use the device as a rearwardly-inelined tooth-barrow, the chain is connected with eye 15 by one of its lower links, when the parts occupy the positions shown in Fig. 8. From this it will be seen that the tendency of the draft of the teeth will be in an upward direction, causing a shallow cut to be made. When it is desired to use it as a straight-tooth harrow, the chains 18 are disengaged from the hooks 21 and engaged with a lower link. This will allow the beams to have sufficient play to turn to the position shown in Fig. 4, when the teeth will be perpendicular.

From the above description it will be seen that my invention possesses superior advantages in that it can be readily changed so as to form a straight'tooth or an inclined-tooth harrow, according to the requirements or the nature of the soil. The tooth-bea1ns being also all loosely jointed together they will adjust themselves to inequalities in the ground and the teeth will ride over obstructions without injury and will fall back into normal position after the obstruction has been passed. There are other advantages which will be readily appreciated by those using such devices or who are skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is In a harrow, the combination, with the toothbeams 1, arranged in pairs and each having a number of teeth, the rods 3, loosely connect ing the beams of each pair, one end of said bars being secured to the lower edge of one beam and the other end secured to the lower edge of the beam of the next adjoining pair, the rods 6, loosely attached to the inner ends of the beams and the ring or annulus eonneeted with said rods, of the levers 19, pro vided with chains 18, and the blocks 12, having bolt 16, with hook 17 and the hooks 21, adapted to engage with eyes 22 on the toothbeams, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto atlixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN \V. WIIIL Witnesses:

BENNETT S. J ONES, AUGUST PETERSON. 

